Ballot-box.



No. 866,413. PATENTBD SEPT. 17, 1907.

. BALLOT BOX.

APPLICATION FILED JULY '7. 1906.

ALLGUTY.

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I 1). ALLUUT. BALLOT BOX.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 7. 1906.

PATENTED SEPT. 17, 1907.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

BALLOT-BOX.

Patented Sept. 17, 1907.

Application filed July 7,1906. Serial No. 325,169.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DAVID ALLeU'r, a citizen of the United States, residing at Fostoria, in the county of Seneca, State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ballot-Boxes; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same. v

This invention relates to voting machines and more particularly to ballot boxes, and has for its object to provide a ballot box so arranged that it may be operated without disclosing the manner of voting, and which will include an arrangement for returning the ballots to their normal positions after the vote has been taken.

Another object is to provide a ballot box including a novel arrangement of parts.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description, and it is to be understood that I do not desire to be limited to the exact details of construction shown and described, for obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art.

In the drawings forming a portion of this specifica tion and in which like numerals of reference indicate similar parts in the several views, Figure 1 is a side elevation of the present box, showing the handle, Fig. 2 is a top plan view with the cover removed, one of the false bottoms being removed, Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section taken through one of the compartments and the slide, Fig. 4 is a transverse section on line 44 of Fig.

2, one slide being in discharging position, Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of one of the slides, Fig. 6 is a front elevation, showing the plungers, and Fig. 7 is a vertical section on line 77 of Fig. 1, showing the return passages.

Referring now to the drawings, the present invention comprises a body portion 8 having a horizontal partition 9 therein to form a drawer-receiving com partment 10 in its lower portion, and a longitudinally extending vertical partition 11 extends throughout the entire length of the body portion and upwardly from the partition 9, to form separate compartments l2 and 13 above this horizontal partition. The partition 9 terminates short of the rear wall 14 of the body portion, and extending upwardly from the horizontal partition from the rearward edge thereof and at opposite sides of the partition 11, there are vertical walls 15 lying with their upper edges in spaced relation to a cover 16 secured upon the body portion, and also in spaced relation to the rearward wall 14 of the body portion, to form passages 17 communicating with the drawer-receiving compartment 10 and with the compartments 12 and 13.

False bottoms 18 are located in the compartments 12 and 13 horizontally in spaced relation to the partition 9, and have central openings 19, all portions of the upper surfaces of the bottoms 18 being slanted downwardly to these openings.

Horizontally movable slides 20 are located between the false bottoms 18 and the partition 9, one within each of the compartments 12 and 13, and each of these slides is provided with a pocket 21 in its upper surface, and a laterally and downwardly extending passage 22 communicating with this pocket and opening through the under face of the slide.

Plungers 23 are carried, one by each slide, and extend outwardly through the forward wall 24 of the body portion in the direction of movement of the slides, these plungers being located in close relation and being separated by a wing 25 extending forwardly from the body portion. These plungers are painted different colors or provided with other distinguishing marks which are visible through a guard plate 26 extending outwardly and downwardly from the wall 24 of the body portion, and having sight openings 27 formed therein, one above each plunger and through which the latter may be seen.

A transverse slat 28 is secured to the body portion in spaced relation to the wall 24 and thereaeross, and lies by low the plungers 23 so that the fingers of one hand may be engaged in the slat, while the thumb rests against one of the plungers to push the latter inwardly, and springs 29 are arranged to hold the slides yieldably at the forward limits of their movement, these slides being movable longitudinally within their respective apartments, as will be readily understood.

An opening 30 is formed through the partition 9 and communicates with each of the compartments 12 and 13 below the false bottoms 18 thereof, and lie in position for registration of the passages 22 therewith when the slides are at the rearward limits of their movement. Plates 31 are fixed in the rearward portions of the compartments 12 and 13, and extend forwardly, these plates being slidably engaged in the slides 20 for movement of the slides with respect thereto, and the arrangement is such that when the slides are moved rearwardly, they are brought into position for the plates 31 to extend over the passages 22 at the communication of these passages with the pockets 21 to close the passages.

A drawer 32 is located in the drawer compartment 10 and has a central longitudinal division 33 to form separate chambers disposed one beneath each of the openings 30, and the division 33 is of a height to prevent the passage of bodies between it and the partition 9. The drawer extends beneath the passages 17, and it will be observed that the box may be turned upside down and tilted to cause the ballot balls 34 to pass from the drawer 32 through the passages 17 to the compartments l2 and 13, the passages 17 having pivoted doors 35 at the upper end which lie normally in closed position,

these doors being pivoted at their rearward edges, adjacent to the rearward wall of the body portion, and resting at their rearward edges upon the wall 15. A handle 36 is carried by one side of the body portion.

In use, negative ballot balls are disposed in the compartment 13 and affirmative ballot balls in the compartment 12. These balls will be directed into the pocket 21 and one ball will pass into each of the passages 22 resting upon the partition 9. Should one of the slides be now moved rearwardly, its passage 22 will be registered with the corresponding opening to permit the ball to fall into the drawer 32, and at the same time the plate 31 Will be positioned to close the passage 22 at its upper end and prevent another ball from passing thereinto, until the slide is returned to its normal position by its spring 29. It is thought that the use of the ballot box will be clearly understood without further description.

What is claimed is:

1. A ballot box comprising a body portion having separate compartments therewithin for the reception of ballots; horizontally movable means for discharging ballots from the compartments; means carried by said discharging means and extending in the direction of movement thereof for operating said discharging means; a guard plate located above said operating means and extending outwardly the'reover in position to conceal the same, said guard plate having sight openings formed therethrough; and a spaced slat secured to the body portion of said ballot box below said operating means, to provide a finger hold during the actuation of the latter.

2. A ballot box comprising a body portion having a horizontal partition therewithin provided with an opening a false bottom located above said partition in spaced relation thereto and provided with an opening; a horizontally movable slide located between said partition and bottom and having a pocket in the upper surface in registration with the opening in the false bottom, said slide having a laterally and downwardly extending passage communicating with said pocket and opening through its under surface, the slide opening being adapted to register with the partition opening when the slide is moved; means for normally holding the slide with its passage out of registration with the partition opening; a plate arranged to lie in position to cut off communication between the passage and the pocket of the slide when the passage is in registration with the opening in the partition; and a plunger carried by said slide and extending in the direction of motion thereof, for operating said slide.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

DAVID ALLCUT.

Witnesses:

Gno. W. BURCKI-IARDT,

J. V. J ONES. 

